Signaling arrangement for a rural mailbox



A ril 9, 1963 P. E. KOPP SIGNALING ARRANGEMENT FOR A RURAL MAILBOX Filed Jan. 8, 1962 3,084,853 SIGNALING ARRANGEMENT FOR A RURAL MAILBOX Philip E. Kopp, Hazel Dell, Springfield, Ill. Filed Jan. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 164,690 3 Claims. (Cl. 232-35) This invention relates generally to mechanical signaling devices and especially to signaling arrangements for use with a rural mailbox.

In accordance with conventional practice, a signal arm is mounted on the side of a rural mailbox so that the presence of mail for pick up can be indicated by raising the arm. Specifically, the arm is fashioned with a slot; and a rivet is disposed to pass slidably through the slot fixedly to engage the sidewall of the box. Thus, the signal arm can be situated in horizontal orientation under normal circumstances and re-situated in vertical orientation to signal the presence of mail in the box. In

the past, some of these signal arm devices have been arranged so as to require manual raising of the signal and manual lowering. Moreover, postal regulations do not permit mail carriers to operate any signaling arrangement for indicating that mail has been delivered. Accordingly, numerous automatically operated signaling devices have been proposed for this purpose and many of these devices have incorporated springs. Arrangements of this latter type have proved susceptible of failure due to weather weakening the spring to render it susceptible of fracture and due to moisture collecting in the coils of the spring to rust adjacent coils together or to freeze in the spring rendering it inoperative. Furthermore, certain of these spring operated devices have presented a hazard to the mail carriers.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved signaling arrangement for use with rural mailboxes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signaling arrangement of the described character which automatically raises a signal arm into vertical orientation upon opening of the mailbox door.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a signaling arrangement for use with a rural mailbox, which arrangement is operated strictly by gravitational means.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a signaling arrangement for use with a rural mailbox, which arrangement operates without interference with the door of the mailbox.

Additional objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structure and arrangement whereby the above objects are attained.

An arrangement in accord with the invention includes a signal arm adapted to be pivotally mounted to the side of a mailbox exterio-rly thereto, latch means adapted to act between the signal arm and the door of the mailbox selectively to hold the arm in horizontal orientation when the door is closed and automatically to release the arm upon opening of the door, and weight means gravitationally acting on the arm to bias the arm into vertical orientation.

The invention, both to its structure and mode of operation, will be better understood by reference to the following disclosure and drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

flange elements 44 at the end of the arm 36.

3,084,853 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rural mailbox incorporating a signaling arrangement constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of the mailbox of FIG. 1, showing the signal arm latched in horizontal orientation;

FIG. 3 is a view taken through the section 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational view similar to the showing of FIG. 2 but illustrating the signal arm in vertical orientation; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, side elevational view showing action of the pawl and the strike bracket upon return of the signal arm from vertical orientation to horizontal orientation.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, specifically to FIG. 1, a rural mailbox indicated generally by the numeral 10 will be seen to include a body 12 having a horizontally opening portal 14 at one end. A door 16 is swingably mounted to the bottom of body 12 by trunnions 18, the door 16 being arranged for opening and closing of the portal 14. The door 16 is secured in position closing the portal 14 by means of a conventional frictionlatch 20, latch 20 comprising a bumped strap 22 which is affixed to body 12 and a cooperatively shaped bracket 24 which is fastened to door 16.

In accordance with the present invention, a signaling arrangement indicated generally by the numeral 26 is assembled with the mailbox 10 to provide an indication of mail having been delivered to the box. As will be seen from an inspection of FIG. 1, the signaling arrangement 26 includes a signal arm unit 28, a latch unit 30 and a weight unit including weights 32 and 34.

The signal arm unit 28 includes an arm 36 and an intermediate member 38 which is suitably secured to the arm 36 as by rivets '40. A signal element 42 desirably fashioned in the silhouette of a rooster is fastened to the free end of arm 36 transversely thereof by one or more It is to be recognized that the arm 36 is fashioned to be of such a length and signal element 42 aflixed to the flange 44 in such a manner that the element 42 does not interfere with theside of mailbox body 12 when the signal arm unit 28 is disposed in horizontal orientation.

Turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, the signal arm unit 28 will be seen pivotally mounted to the side of mailbox body 12 in the forward quarter of the length thereof by means of a mounting bracket 46 and a pivot stud 48, stud 48 extending through aligned apertures in the intermediate member 38 and the vertical plate portion of bracket 46. The bracket 46 is suitably fastened to the side of mailbox body 12 asby nut and bolt arrangements 50; and the bracket 46 is provided with a laterally extending arm or stop '52 for purposes of arresting signal arm unit 28 in vertical orientation as will be described more fully hereinafter.

The intermediate member 38 terminates in a mounting plate portion 54 to which a pawl 56 is swingably mounted by means of a pivot pin 58, the pawl 56 comprising one component of the latch unit 30. Plate portion 54 defines an arcuate slot '60 intermediate the pin 58 and the pivot stud 48, slot 60 being fashioned with pin 58 as its center of curvature for purposes which will become more apparent hereinafter. The pawl 56 includes a foot 62 which 1S id to coact with a strike bracket 64, bracket 64 116mg aetmred to door 16 to extend beyond the edge thereinto approximate alignment transversely of the arm unit 28. Strike bracket 64 comprises another component of the iatch unit 30.

With continued reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a pin element 66 will be seen to define a shoulder rivet portion at one end whereby to facilitate its attachment to pawl 56. A bushing portion 68 of the pin element 66 operates slidably in the slot 60, and a retainer ring 70 is fitted about the laterally outermost end of the pin element 66 to hold a weight strap 72 in place on the pin element, weight strap 72swingably mounting the weight 32 to the pawl 56 and thereby to the signal arm unit 28 by virtue of the interattachment of the pawl and the arm unit which is achieved through pivot pin 58. It is to be noted that the length of strap 72spaces the center of weight G2 a short distance from the pin element 66, weight 32 being also spaced laterally apart from the mailbox body 12 and the door 16.

The companion mass defined by weight 34 is rigidly mounted to the intermediate member 38 by an arm 74 which spaces the center of mass of weight 34 apart from the axis of the signal arm'unit 28. Specifically, the center of weight 34 is arranged to be located vertically above the pivot stud 48 when the signal arm unit 28 is disposed in horizontal orientation. This is well shown in FIG. 2. v For purposes of affording a more complete understanding of the invention, it is advantageous now to provide a functional description of the mode in which the component parts cooperate.

Let us assume that the signal arm unit 28 is disposed in horizontal orientation, as is shown in FIG. 2, with the foot 62 of pawl '56 abuttingly overlying the strike bracket 64. In this configuration of the parts, weight 32 draws the strap 72 into a plumb condition in which the pin element 66 exerts a counterclockwise force, as is viewed in FIG. 2, on pawl 56. This force also urges the pin element 66 into the lower end of slot 60 to stop rotation of the pawl and maintain it in coactable relationship with the strike bracket 64.

Upon opening of the door 16 as upon mail being delivered to the box 10, strike bracket 64 is automatically rotated out of abutting relationship with the foot 62; and the weight 32 thereupon causes the signal arm unit 28 to pivot about stud 48, raising the signal arm unit 28 into vertical orientation as is generally shownin FIGS. land 4. It will be observed that, as the signal arm unit 28 approaches the vertical, the force available from weight 32 becomes minimal due to the shortening of the moment arm which is incurred as the weight pivots about pin elemeat 66. However, it will be further noted that weight '34 at this time provides anappreciable moment to urge the heel of intermediate member 38 against the stop 52 whereby to hold the signal arm unit 28 in vertical orientation.

-When the mail has been inserted in box 10, the door .16 is closed; and the signal arm unit 28 remains in vertical orientation signaling the presence of the mail in the box. After the mail has been removed from the box by the addressee, the door 16 is again returned to its position closingthe portal 14 whereupon it will become desirable to return the sginal arm unit 28 to its horizontal orienta- 1 tion This is achieved by rotating the mounting plate portion 54 of intermediate member 38 in the general dimam of arrow76 as shown in FIG. 5. When the pawl 56 abuts the strike bracket 64, the force acting between the strike bracket and the pawl causes the pawl to rotate in the direction of arrow 78 which rotation is permitted .by' the slot 60 accommodating the corresponding movement of pin element 66. After rotation of intermediate member38 in the direction of arrow 76 raises pawl 56 the signaling arrangement 26 is again cocked and ready for further operation.

The specific example herein shown and described should be considered as illustrative only. Various changes in structure may occur to those skilled in the art; and these changes are to be understood as forming a part of this invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A signaling arrangement for use with a rural mailbox, said arrangement comprising:

(a) signal arm means adapted to be pivotally mounted to a side of said mailbox exteriorly thereto;

(b) latch means adapted to act between said signal arm means and the door of said mailbox selectively to hold said arm means in horizontal orientation when said door is closed and automatically to release said arm means upon opening of said door;

(0) stop means abutting said arm means upon vertical orientation thereof; and

(d) weight means gravitationally acting on said arm means to bias said arm means into vertical orientation, including a first mass swingably mounted to said signal arm means at a point intermediate the pivot thereof and said latch means, said weight means further including a second mass rigidly mounted to said signal arm means, said second mass urging said arm means into abutting relationship with said stop means when said arm means is disposed in vertical orientation.

2. A signaling arrangement for use with a rural mailbox, said arrangement comprising:

(a) signal arm means adapted to be pivotally mounted to a side of said mailbox exteriorly thereto;

([2) latch means adapted to act between said signal arm means and the door of said mailbox selectively to hold said arm means in horizontal orientation when said door is closed and automatically to release said arm means upon opening of said door;

(0) weight means gravitationally acting on said arm means to bias said arm means into vertical orientation, including a first mass swingably mounted to said signal armmeans at a point intermediate the pivot thereof and said latch means, the center of said mass being spaced apart from said point, said weight means further including a second mass rigidly mounted to said signal arm means, the center of said second mass being spaced vertically above said pivot when said arm means is disposed in horizontal orientation.

3. A signaling arrangement for use with a rural mailbox including a mail receiving body having a horizontally opening portal and a door swingably mounted to the bottom of said body for opening and closing said portal, said signaling arrangement comprising:

(a) signal arm means adapted to be pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to a side portion of said body exteriorly thereto, said arm means including mounting means at one end thereof;

(b) a strike bracket adapted to be secured to said door to extend beyond the edge of said door into alignment transversely of said arm means;

(0) pawl means pivotally attached to said mounting means, said pawl means including a foot coactable with said bracket in holding said arm means in horizontal orientation and further including :a pin extending laterally therefrom to slide in a slot formed in said mounting mean generally intermediate the pivot of said arm means and the pivot of said pawl means; and

(d) weight means swingably mounted on said pin in spaced apart relationship therewith, said weight means gravitationally acting on said arm means to bias said arm means into vertical orientation and gravitationally acting on said pawl means to bias said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schrock Oct. 23, 1923 Black Sept. 5, 1933 Hunter Nov. 2, 1954 Mancuso Aug. 27, 1957 

2. A SIGNALING ARRANGEMENT FOR USE WITH A RURAL MAILBOX, SAID ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING: (A) SIGNAL ARM MEANS ADAPTED TO BE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO A SIDE OF SAID MAILBOX EXTERIORLY THERETO; (B) LATCH MEANS ADAPTED TO ACT BETWEEN SAID SIGNAL ARM MEANS AND THE DOOR OF SAID MAILBOX SELECTIVELY TO HOLD SAID ARM MEANS IN HORIZONTAL ORIENTATION WHEN SAID DOOR IS CLOSED AND AUTOMATICALLY TO RELEASE SAID ARM MEANS UPON OPENING OF SAID DOOR; (C) WEIGHT MEANS GRAVITATIONALLY ACTING ON SAID ARM MEANS TO BIAS SAID ARM MEANS INTO VERTICAL ORIENTATION, INCLUDING A FIRST MASS SWINGABLY MOUNTED TO SAID SIGNAL ARM MEANS AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE PIVOT THEREOF AND SAID LATCH MEANS, THE CENTER OF SAID MASS BEING SPACED APART FROM SAID POINT, SAID WEIGHT MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING A SECOND MASS RIGIDLY MOUNTED TO SAID SIGNAL ARM MEANS, THE CENTER OF SAID SECOND MASS BEING SPACED VERTICALLY ABOVE SAID PIVOT WHEN SAID ARM MEANS IS DISPOSED IN HORIZONTAL ORIENTATION. 